Just What Is Odd To Crazy Steve?
by Vivli
Summary: Captain 'Crazy' Steve captains the ship from Seblina to Mhaura, and has seen a lot. Ever wondered why the captian never reacts to what happens on deck? Well, this time, he encounters something odd.


**JUST WHAT IS ODD TO CRAZY STEVE?**

It was late evening in Seblina. The sun was setting out over the ocean. It was still as warm as it ever was, it always was out in the Valkurm Dunes. Even after nightfall, when it was supposed to become freezing, it stayed warm.

A fairly young woman walked through the main gates, and looked out over the sea. She had long blonde hair, and was wearing what was now a very dusty white dress. She turned back to a man dressed in a large suit of armour.

"Thanks." She said, paying him a 500 gil. Her escort bowed, turned and left. She looked out over the sea. Her name was Aeria. She wasn't an adventurer by any means, hence the escort. At least, not yet. She was heading to Windurst to learn the ways of magic. She had been planning to spend the night at Seblina, but the price of her escort had been a little more than she thought, so she now would just have to take the boat ride to Mhaura during the night. Luckily, the ship was docked, and ready to leave.

She ran down, quickly paying and managing to get onto the ship just as it was leaving. She gulped. She hadn't even had time to realise she was leaving her homeland for the first time in the rush. She sighed and decided to wonder up on deck.

A few people were leant over the edge of the deck fishing. Others were sat around talking. The moon shone down on the ocean, creating a beautiful image. She turned away, looking up to the bridge. The captain looked completely lost in a daydream. She shuddered to think he was captaining their ship.

A large blue crab scurried by her. She screamed, and ran quickly into the bridge.

"There's a monster!" She screamed. "There's a monster on the deck!" The captain turned around.

"Yes. There is." He replied. She gasped.

"Well, what are we supposed to do?" She cried.

"Do? Why would you do anything?" The captain asked. Aeria's mouth hung open in disbelief. "Oh, look. It's dead." Came a comment. She looked out to see that it had indeed been killed by an adventurer. She gasped for breath, still feeling an adrenaline rush.

"What is wrong with you?" She cried. "That was a monster! Somebody could have gotten hurt!"

"Most probably." The captain nodded.

"Are you crazy?" She cried.

"Oh yes. Quite." The captain responded. "At least according to everybody else. They call me 'Crazy Steve'. But, then again, they might be crazy and I might be sane. Who's who to judge, eh?"

"Me!" She screamed. "You're insane! That monster could have killed somebody!"

"They often do." Crazy Steve told her. "Did you know on the way here a Sea Horror came up on deck. Killed everybody. Entire ship was slaughtered. Except me of course. They never bother me."

"I can see why." Aeria muttered bluntly. "Wait! Everybody died?" She suddenly gasped as she comprehended this.

"Not everybody. I didn't. Don't you listen girl?" Crazy Steve said to Aeria. Aeria screamed in frustration, marching back out on deck.

She found herself looking back out over the water. She noticed a strange blue haze shimmering towards them. As she looked closer, it appeared to be a ship. She ran back into the bridge without thinking.

"There's a ship! A ship coming!" She cried.

"Oh, that's just pirates. They'll come, loot, kill, the usual." Crazy Steve said with a shrug.

"And that doesn't seem odd to you?" Aeria screamed.

"Odd? Why would it be odd? It happens all the time." Crazy Steve shrugged again.

"But they're pirates!" Aeria was almost in tears with frustration and fear.

"So? Just because their pirates doesn't mean they're odd." Crazy Steve explained. Aeria looked out again at the ship closing in on them. She noticed something. It wasn't a normal ship. It was made up of the blue mist she had seen. Shimmering and transparent.

"It's a ghost ship!" She screamed in fear.

"Oh." Crazy Steve remarked.

"Oh? OH? Is that all you have to say?" Aeria yelled. "It's a ghost ship! I didn't even know they existed!" She paused, turning to Crazy Steve's face. "Is that odd enough for you?"

"Not really odd." Crazy Steve shrugged for a third time. "Everybody's heard of ghost ships."

"But have you ever seen one before?" Aeria bellowed.

"No." Crazy Steve simply answered.

"Then how can it not be odd?" Aeria cried tearfully.

"I've never seen you before either. Doesn't mean your odd." Crazy Steve gave for an example. Aeria paused. He had a point.

Outside the ghostly vessel had pulled up alongside the transport ship. The adventurers who were used to Crazy Steve doing nothing rushed to the sides, ready to battle. Nothing happened on behalf of the ghost ship. It just floated there. A few of the more reckless adventurers fired arrows.

"What are we going to do?" Aeria screamed to Crazy Steve.

"I'm going to sail the ship, and apparently you're going to shout at me, asking me what we're going to do. Why?" Crazy Steve replied. Aeria just looked at him blankly. Slowly, the ghostly ship outside began to seemingly grow. It was mutating, almost transforming. The ghostly wooden structure was warping. At first nobody on the ship could see what in to, but soon it became clear. The ghost ship became a gigantic figure of a person. The sail masts formed horns. A gigantic demon made from a ship. It held out its hand, formed from cannons and an anchor, and smashed it down into the deck of the transport ship. It tore in half. Everybody screamed in absolute horror, and Aeria fell, yelling. Crazy Steve didn't flinch. The ship quickly began to sink as adventurers flung themselves into the ocean.

"THE SHIP IS SINKING!" Aeria screamed to Crazy Steve.

"Of course it is. It just got ripped in half." Crazy Steve replied.

"WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Aeria was in tears of fear. She ran to the edge of the ship. Crazy Steve continued to sail the half of the rapidly sinking ship.

"Oh, you go ahead. It's my job to sail." Crazy Steve told her. Aeria laughed in disbelief. She had no choice left. She jumped into the water, leaving Crazy Steve behind. She could but watch as the ship sunk beneath the water.

She was lucky enough to grab hold of a piece of floating wood. She waited as adventurers splashed around. Some swimming, some drowning, and more grabbing hold of pieces of rubble. The demon ship stood before them. Crazy Steve burst out from under the water.

"The ship has docked a little ahead of schedule." He announced. "I'm afraid we will no longer be arriving in Mhaura. We apologise for the inconvenience."

"What is wrong with you?" Sobbed Aeria.

"I'm crazy. Remember?" Crazy Steve told her. "Or you're crazy. It depends on what you believe." The demon ghost ship began to sway, and exploded into a brilliant array of light that shot into the sky. Crazy Steve went into deep thought. Despite the situation, Aeria watched him closely. He looked like he was pondering the meaning of life in the deepest sense possible. Crazy Steve finally looked up.

"I guess that was a little odd." He said.


End file.
